


I'm Not Over You

by SugdenLovesDingle



Series: Aaron week 2017 [5]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst, Hopeful Ending, M/M, bartsy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-10
Updated: 2017-11-10
Packaged: 2019-01-31 13:48:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12683163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: Aaron week day 5 - Write an Aaron scene that you wish would have happened





	I'm Not Over You

**Author's Note:**

> I changed my mind about this about 50 times and rewrote it even more times... and I'm still not 100% happy with it but I hope someone enjoys it.

“Imagine you and me on the pull. Something for everyone, mate.”

It had seemed a good enough idea at first. The two of them out on the town, living up the single life.

_Even though neither of them felt single._

The Sugden siblings nothing but a memory.

_A very recent, somewhat painful, mostly good memory._

So here he was, propping up the bar in some club Adam had insisted on going to because, according to him, the only way to get over someone, was to get under someone else.

The place was alright, the music decent, and the guy smiling at him from the other side of the bar fairly attractive. If you’re into the gym bunny type.

“From him.” The bartender said as he put another bottle of beer on the bar in front of Aaron and pointed at the smiling guy.

The guy raised his glass at Aaron, who did the same with his bottle. The guy took that as an invitation to come over.

“Hey. Is this seat taken?”

“Nope.” Aaron forced himself to say and the guy sat down next to him.

“I’m Valentine.” He said and held out his hand for Aaron to shake.

“Aaron. And let me guess, your birthday is February 14th?”

The guy, _Valentine,_ laughed.

“No it’s October 16th. Bad timing from my parents.”

Aaron nodded and forced a smile.

“When is your birthday?” Valentine asked.

“Fifth of January.”

“Oh Capricorn. I’m a Libra. We match!”

“Really now?”

“Yeah, I study astronomy. I know these things.” Valentine joked and bumped his shoulder against Aaron’s. “What do you do?”

“I co-own a scrap yard…” Aaron told him. “And I’m a mechanic.” He added when he saw the blank look on the other guy’s face.

“Oh fixing cars and stuff, right? Nice, nice.”

“It’s a living.” Aaron shrugged and took a swig of his beer.

They made small talk for a minute and Aaron tried to think of a good excuse to get out of the conversation.

“So, are you here by yourself?” Valentine asked.

“No I’m with my mate. He’s over there.” Aaron said and turned around and nodded at Adam who was talking to a girl a few feet away from them. A girl who could be Vic’s sister… if you squinted a little.

“Looks like your mate’s pulled.”

“Yeah… looks like it.”

“What about you?”

“What about me? Have I pulled?”

“I think you have.” Valentine said and leaned in to kiss Aaron.

He let it happen, maybe even kissed back for a second until all he could see in his mind was Robert’s face and the sadness that was always in his eyes these days when he saw him in the village.

“I’m sorry. I can’t.” Aaron said as he pulled away. “I… just got out of a serious relationship. I don’t think I’m ready for something new. I’m sorry.”

“Hey I was just looking for a bit of fun, I’m not asking you to marry me.”

Aaron almost instinctively touched the finger that had held his wedding ring up until a few weeks ago. Valentine noticed.

“Were you married?”

“Yes.” Aaron sighed. “Sorry. I have to go now. Thanks for the drink.”

He grabbed his jacket and walked over to Adam.

“Ads I’m going to head home. I’ll just get a taxi.”

“Wait, no, I’ll come with.” Adam said and grabbed his jacket. “See you around, Emma.” He added as an afterthought.

“It’s Gemma.” The girl corrected him but Adam ignored her and followed Aaron out the door.

“Are you ok mate? I saw you kissing that guy. I thought you were enjoying yourself.” He asked Aaron, falling into step beside him. “Was he that bad of a kisser?”

Aaron shrugged.

“Just didn’t feel like it. I’m tired. Just going to go home.”

“Alright. We’ll get a couple of cans and hang out at yours. You still owe me a rematch.”

“Maybe another time.” Aaron said, taking out his phone and scrolling through his contacts, looking for the number for a taxi. “I’m tired. I’m just going to go to bed.”

The taxi dropped him off at the Mill almost an hour later and he let himself into the house after saying goodnight to Adam.

The house was dark, of course, and he made his way to the fridge without bothering to turn the lights on. He stumbled around the living room, still not really used to the layout of the house and slumped down on the sofa, cracking open his first beer.

Three beers later he was definitely well on his way to drunk and somehow thought it was a good idea to look through the photos on his phone. He hadn’t changed his wallpaper and he was certain Adam hadn’t either.

He stared at the photos his mum had sent him from the wedding, a few selfies and a few photos Liv had taken while she had his phone when he was inside. There was a photo of Robert holding some kind of action figure from the day they’d moved into the Mill and lots of pictures from their holiday or _honeymoon_ in Mauritius. Photos of the two of them on the beach, one of Robert after Liv had dumped a bucket of water over him when he’d fallen asleep in the sun and one his mum had sent him of the two of them kissing on the beach, half hiding behind Robert’s book.

He missed that. He missed Robert.

So he did the only logical thing he could think of in that moment.

He called him.

“Hello?” came the sleepy answer on the second ring

“Rob!”

“What? Aaron? What’s happening? Are you ok?”

“I miss you. I have your watch.”

“Aaron, it’s half 2 in the morning. Are you drunk?”

“No! I just want to talk to you. My husband!”

“You are drunk. Aaron please get some water and an aspirin and go to bed.”

“I’m not drunk.” Aaron protested. “Ok maybe I’m a little drunk.” He giggled. “But I miss you.”

Robert sighed.

“I miss you too. You know I do. But you said yourself we can’t keep hurting each other like this.”

“I was wrong. Come over.”

“You don’t mean that…” Robert said sadly. “It’s the booze talking.”

“No, I’ve only had… uhm… I don’t know… but not much.”

“Aaron please get some sleep. We’ll talk in the morning…”

“Ok…” Aaron said softly and Robert was about to end the call when he spoke again.

“I kissed someone tonight.”

“Oh.”

“He kissed me. In a club. I let him. Adam wanted to go.”

“Ok.”

“But I didn’t want him. I want you. Come over. ” Aaron was almost begging now but in his drunk mind he couldn’t even begin to care.

Robert sighed.

“Alright. I’m on my way. But I’m only staying as long as I need to make sure you won’t kill yourself trying to go up that spiral staircase. Leave the door open for me?”

“’s open.” Aaron mumbled.

Fifteen minutes later Robert was sitting in the armchair he and Liv had picked out together, _before,_ and Aaron was sprawled out on the sofa.

After planting a kiss on him the second he’d walked through the door.

“Come sit with me.” Aaron patted the sofa.

“I am sitting with you. Here. There’s no room left for me there.”

Aaron frowned.

“Right.”

“Just lie down and get some sleep.”

“Not tired.”

“I know. But just try it anyway. For me?” Robert asked, glad he’d decided to go to bed instead of getting drunk earlier that night. He’s not sure what would have happened if both of them had been drunk tonight.

“Robert?”

“Yeah?”

“I do love you, you know.”

“I know. I love you too. Just try to get some sleep now, yeah?”

“Will you stay?” Aaron asked, sounding like a little boy and all Robert wanted was to wrap his arms around him.

“Ok. I’ll stay.”

“Good.”

The next morning Robert woke up to retching sounds coming from somewhere behind him. He opened his eyes and it took him a minute to figure out where he was and what was going on.

“Aaron?”

A toilet flushed and Aaron walked back into the living room, looking a little green.

“Sorry for waking you up…”

“It’s ok. Do you want me to make you something? To soak up the booze.” Robert offered. “Or I can go…”

“No. It’s ok. Fridge is kind of empty though I think…”

“Right. Do you… remember last night at all?”

“A little…”

“You called me. Kept asking me to come over because you missed me… Did you mean that?”

“I uh… shouldn’t have called.”

“Did you mean what you said, Aaron?”

“I’m sorry. I should just tell Adam to take my phone from me next time.”

“Aaron. Answer the question, please.”

Aaron squeezed his eyes shut.

“Yes… but… I can’t… I can’t do this right now Robert.”

“Right now?” Robert asked, hopeful. “You mean you maybe could again in the future?”

Aaron bit his lip.

“I… don’t know.”

“Do you want to?”

“I do… but… it’s not that easy. I’m such a mess. We both are.”

“Messed up forever right?” Robert said and Aaron’s heart skipped a beat at those words.

“Maybe a little less messed up eh?”

Robert gave him a small smile.

“Yeah that’s probably a good idea.”

“I… I need time, Robert.” Aaron said after a few minutes. “I need to sort out my head before we can think of doing this again.”

“Ok. I understand. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”

“What if I’m never ready?”

“I’ll be waiting a long time then.” Robert shrugged and kissed his cheek. “I love you. Always will.”

Aaron watched him leave and closed the door behind him. Twenty four hours ago he’d been sure there was no way back for him and Robert, but now, maybe, with some space and help, they’d be able to find their way back to each other again.


End file.
